Carriers for articles similar in height and breadth, such as cans and the like, having a latch for holding a hollow, recessed or chimed end of an article inserted in the carrier, are well-known. Generally, the latch is formed by punching a tab into a carrier and bending it within the carrier approximately 180.degree.. The edge of the chimed end of the article, when thrust into the carrier, first presses the tab against the carrier wall and then, after the article rim has transversed the tab, the tab springs away from the wall to a position within the chimed end portion thereby latching the article. Examples of such latching holding devices are disclosed in the following U.S. Patent Nos: 2,637,476 issued to Empkie on May 5, 1953; 2,722,365 issued to Phipps on Nov. 1, 1955; 3,223,308 issued to Weiss on Dec. 14, 1965; 3,283,890 issued to Tolaas on Nov. 8, 1966; and 3,999,660 issued to Tranquillitsky on Dec. 28, 1976. Such latches are effective in preventing carried articles from inadvertently being removed from the carrier where both ends of the article are chimed, recessed or hollow. However, such single ply latches lack reliability when articles such as tumblers or goblets (i.e., having only one chimed, recessed or hollow end) are inserted in a carrier.
Other carriers make use of flaps, adapted to surround partially or entirely cylindrical ends of articles inserted in those carriers, to retain the article end portions substantially within the carrier. Examples of such carriers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,598,802 issued to Nowak on Aug. 10, 1971 and No. 3,854,580 issued to Hennessey on Dec. 17, 1974. These carriers use a flap to restrain each end of an inserted article or flaps in combination with other holding means to restrain the inserted articles substantially within the carrier. Generally, these flaps are held within the carrier in a fixed angular position by locking the flap to a central reinforcing panel within the carrier. The lock consists of a slit or cut in the flap for engaging the reinforcing panel adjacent a notch in the panel.
Conventionally, carriers are assembled from flat blanks that are first printed and then punched or cut to the desired shape. After assembly, the carriers are collapsed to a relatively flat form for shipment to a location where the carriers are re-erected and the articles to be carried are inserted. Prior art carriers with locking flaps are damaged if collapsed with the flaps in place and therefore must remain partially unassembled for collapsed shipment. At the location of use of these carriers, final assembly must precede insertion of the articles adding to the cost and complexity of using these carriers.